


Courting Is A Pleasure

by zzoaozz



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-26
Updated: 2013-04-26
Packaged: 2017-12-09 12:48:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/774372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zzoaozz/pseuds/zzoaozz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kouga is determined to win a mate and his sights are set on Sesshoumaru.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Courting Is A Pleasure

"Yo! Sesshoumaru!"

Sesshoumaru stared in utter disbelief as the wolf youkai sauntered through the fortress gates as if he had every right to be there. No one had dared tresspass on his lands since shortly after his father died when he had proved unequivocally to his rivals that he was not the reasonable, forgiving soul the the former lord had been. He had secured his privacy with bloodshed and violence and jealously guarded it ever since. The audacity of the other youkai was unbelievable. 

He touched Rin on the shoulder and she quickly moved behind his leg peering out from that safety to watch the proceedings. Her brown eyes widened as she recognized the leader of the wolf pack, the one who had let his wolves kill her so long ago. 

Kouga was wearing his hair down and had exchanged his normal leathers for a dark blue yukata and hakuma. He walked with certainty over to his prey taking a small bouquet of bright yellow flowers from his belt with a flourish and holding them up to the taiyoukai with what he hoped was a roguishly charming smile.

“What?” Sesshoumaru looked blankly at Kouga.

“They’re for you, take them.” Kouga grinned amused at the dumbfounded look. 

Sesshoumaru’s right hand rose slowly and he took the flowers gingerly. Both of Kouga’s hands flew up catching and holding it. Golden eyes dropped to his hand shocked. 

Kouga resisted the urge to laugh stepping closer instead until he could feel the heat of Sesshoumaru's body radiating through the silk of his clothes. 

“They’re beautiful, but not as beautiful as you. Nothing is as beautiful as you.” 

Sesshoumaru stared at the wolf youkai. “What are you talking about? Why are you looking at me like that?” 

"I will win your heart and prove my love for you. I'll make you my man, just wait and see." Kouga smiled and released his hand plucking one flower from the bunch. He stepped back and gave the single flower to the human child. She laughed and smiled up at him. He gave her a grin and a playful wink then raised his hand in a two fingered salute, “See you later, Sesshoumaru.” A swirling cloud of wind marked his retreat. 

Sesshoumaru stared down at the delicate white and yellow flowers. “What was that about?” 

“The wolf man gave Sesshoumaru-sama flowers! He must like Sesshoumaru-sama a whole lot.” 

He looked at the girl, “You give flowers to people you like? Why would you do a thing like that?” 

“Hai, Rin gives Sesshoumaru-sama lots of flowers because Rin loves her Sesshoumaru-sama.” 

He felt a smile playing at the corner of his lips. “I wonder why he said that, though.” 

Rin snorted in a surprisingly good imitation of him, “Sesshoumaru-sama is the most beautiful of all, everyone knows that, even Jaken-sama.

”The smile escaped his control and flashed across his features for a moment. Rin responded instantly with the same heart tugging grin that she had displayed the first time he had expressed any concern for her. He shook his head and turned toward the door of the castle. “You may play in the gardens until dinner, Rin.” He did not linger to hear her happy exclamation. 

At the doorway, he ordered one of the servants to guard the gate on penalty of death. This encounter had been friendly, but even so that was no excuse for lax security. He made his way to his own suite of rooms and stuck the flowers in a tall pitcher of water. He held it a while then set it on the heavy bureau across from his bed. They smelled good and did brighten the darkly furnished room a great deal. He sank down into his favorite padded chair and thought about the wolf. 

He did not know much about flowers, but he knew about youkai and youkai did not tend to touch other youkai unless they were fighting or mating. He turned his head a little to look into the full length mirror that stood in the corner. Did the wolfling think to mate him?He knew that he was far from ugly, but he had called him beautiful and Rin seemed to think that was a fact no one could dispute. The face that looked back at him was pale, the lines and angles balanced and almost feminine, the skin flawless, and his long hair glowed like moonlight even in the dim light filtering in through his high window. He supposed he was beautiful, he knew he was powerful, and wealthy. Yet, for all that, no one had ever shown any real affection to him. Many had lusted after him or desired his rank and holdings, but not enough to deal with his formidable temper and his cold nature. He took lovers when he needed them and let them walk away when he was done. None of them had ever pursued him.His eyes moved back to the flowers. Kouga was attractive in a rather boyish way. He was not a taiyoukai, but the potential was there. He had lost the shards of the Shikon no Tama and Inuyasha’s wench had taken it back inside her body so he could not taint himself with the damn things again. Sesshoumaru had never much cared whether his lovers were male or female so that did not matter. There was no reason for him to turn away the wolf leader’s attentions, if that was what he wanted. If he were honest with himself, it was kind of nice to be looked at that way. He rose and went to find Jaken.

 

Kouga leaned back on a rock outside the cave and watched Ginta and Hakkaku splashing around under the waterfall. The boys needed mates. They were plenty old enough and he needed to rebuild the pack. Ayame had finally realized that even with Kagome and Inuyasha mated, he was not interested in her. She had gone back to the mountain pack and declined his tentative overtures to ask if there were any suitable unmated females of the proper age. 

He tore his attention away from his charges as a scent tugged at his nostrils. He watched amused as Sesshoumaru’s little green servant stumbled out of the undergrowth cursing. 

“Yo, toad, what are you doing in my territory?” 

The small youkai brushed himself off summoning his dignity and puffing up importantly. “Sesshoumaru-sama has ordered me to deliver this to you.” He held up a folded piece of real paper sealed with a wax seal. 

He held the note for a while before breaking the white wax seal with a crescent moon pressed into it. He split it open carefully and unfolded it, staring at the elegant handwriting. He could read, but not very well or fast. He knelt beside the toad youkai and held it out, not relinquishing it. 

“What does it say? I hate to read.” 

Jaken sighed but peered at the paper. 

“Kouga,” he read. “Thank you for the gift. It would please me if you joined me for dinner at my home this evening at dusk. Lord Sesshoumaru.” 

The small youkai looked at him wide eyed. “Should I tell Sesshoumaru-sama, you will be coming?” His tone of voice implied that only an idiot would not obey the request. 

“Yeah, tell Sesshoumaru I’ll drop by.” 

Jaken twitched at the familiar address but nodded and headed back the way he came. 

Kouga leaned back on the rock and smiled. He tucked the letter inside his tunic reaching up from time to time to finger the thick, high quality paper. He had weighed his options after the final battle with Naraku. There was no need to have a mate who could see shards when the whole Shikon was inside Kagome and no youkai would ever be able to get them back with her newly awakened, holy power and her overprotective mate. Oddly enough, it was watching the way Inuyasha was so fiercely protective of her that had led his mind back to Sesshoumaru.

Ever since their first meeting, he had held a grudging respect for the pale, white haired youkai. He had also felt gratitude towards him after Ginta and Hakkaku had described their antics. Most youkai, especially arrogant taiyoukai lords like him, would have just ripped his brothers apart for being in the way. Truth be told, he owed the older youkai. He had killed the monster that threatened the little girl, but he knew that Sesshoumaru could have taken care of it just as easily, and the man had killed the monster that had tried to attack him. They were pretty much even on that. So in his mind, he was still indebted. 

Aside from that, Sesshoumaru was beautiful. Hell, beautiful was an understatement. He was inhumanly perfect, his face, his piercing golden eyes, his form and grace. Then there was his incredible, almost intoxicating aura of power. He would have happily presented himself right then and there on that riverbank if not for the fact that Kagome might have taken a casual joining like that the wrong way. Humans tended to be funny that way. He could easily imagine the way his skin would feel and taste. He would have to swallow his pride to some degree as he was certain Sesshoumaru was not going to crumble into his arms trembling like a wilting flower. They were both dominant, very dominant. He would probably end up doing most of the bending if not all of it if the rumours about him were true, but he had heard stories from his father about what the sex could be like between two alpha males. It might not be such a bad thing as long as the dog demon was willing to to accept him without breaking him. 

He shifted a little as his body reacted to his train of thought. Now that his quest was over, he could settle down to a normal life. He could not bring back his pack, but he could build a new one. He was still strong but much weaker than before without the shards. He needed a mate as strong as or stronger than he was, one with pack instincts that would feel the natural urge to protect his mate and pack and help him provide for them. Sesshoumaru could do and be all of that. He had watched him from the shadows enough to see how well he cared for the girl that followed him. He was a strong youkai, an experienced warrior, a natural leader, and a fair and watchful parent. To top it all off, he really liked the dog demon. He thought about him often and the little, human girl too. He figured he would always feel guilty about turning the wolves loose on her village and causing her death. But she seemed to have forgiven him. He would do anything to protect her as if she was already his cub too. 

He smiled at nothing in particular and closed his eyes. The youkai lord would be a wily and exciting prey. If he could catch him, the victory would be bittersweet and glorious at the same time. 

Sesshoumaru chose not to wear his normal clothing. Instead he picked an outer robe of dark purple silk over an under-tunic of gold that was a near perfect match for his eyes. The long swept sleeves covered his hands and draped to the floor. They were edged in silver embroidery as were the purple silk hakuma that were somewhat tighter than his normal white pair and tended to cling to his body more enticingly. A silver sash gathered the robe at his waist. He let Rin brush his hair until it shone which made her happy and also tired the child killing two birds with one stone. He had fed her and tucked her into bed afterwards with barely a protest.

He took a last look in the mirror before walking to his study. He had asked Jaken to set dinner up there instead of the coldly formal dining room to make it more intimate without being innapropriate. Kouga had arrived on time and Sesshoumaru had kept him waiting precisely the amount of time required by rank and custom. Now he swept into the room. 

Kouga rose in proper greeting and inclined his head respectfully. 

Sesshoumaru took in the wolf demon’s appearance. His hair was down again falling in dark waves down his back. He had exchanged his fur pelts for a simple short tunic and tight hunter style pants in a honey brown color. He had forgone the fur wraps around his wrists and ankles as well. He looked good, he decided, even younger than he already did, but good. His blue eyes were glowing warmly in the fire's glow and, he noted with amusement, boldly checking him out. 

The youkai lord sat down gracefully on the cushions between the low table and the blazing fireplace. Kouga sat on the opposite side facing him. If he was nervous, he kept it out of his scent and posture. That was a good trait in a potential mate. His brow rose as he realized he was indeed thinking in terms of “mate” as opposed to “lover”. He was not sure exactly when or how that had happened. Surely he was not so touched by a foolish gift of flowers as all that. Besides that, he had no real evidence at all that Kouga's intentions were romantic in nature. He was acting like a foolish girl. 

Kouga tilted his head watching Sesshoumaru’s face. “What are you thinking? You have a strange expression.” 

Sesshoumaru gave him an even odder look. He wasn’t used to anyone speaking so openly. It was refreshing. “Why did you bring me flowers?”

Kouga countered with a question of his own, “did you like them?”

Sesshoumaru thought a moment. “Yes.”

Kouga grinned, eyes lighting up and cheeks dimpling, "I knew it!."

Sesshoumaru felt his own lips relaxing. The boyish grin was surprisingly contagious.

Kouga saw the change in expression and felt a little of his nervousness lift. "I know there's nothing I could buy that would mean anything to you, but I was betting no one else ever brought you flowers, except maybe the little girl."

"Rin says you give flowers to people when you like them."

"Hai, that's true." 

”Why do you suddenly like me?” Sesshoumaru asked cutting through the dance in his normal blunt manner.

Kouga felt his cheeks heat a little and covered it by taking a long drink of wine. So far honesty had been the best policy, so he raised his chin and laid it out on the table. "I need a mate, one strong enough to help me rebuild my pack and hold my territory. You impressed me the first time we met and at the final battle with Naraku. You are strong, intelligent, and beautiful. I've thought of you a lot since then. You would be a perfect mate and besides that, I like you, just because I do."

Both the demon lord’s brows rose. In all his three hundred and sixty years no one had ever said they liked him. “You do?”

”Aa.” Kouga’s ears were growing warm from the wine. He had tasted alcoholic drink before, but only when raiding human villages. He raised the cup and saw that it was empty and went to put it back down, but before it reached the table a shadow detached itself from the floor and refilled it. He looked up startled. 

”Shadow servants. Your cup should not have been allowed to grow empty.” There was an edge of disapproval to his voice that sent the shadows Kouga had not noticed slinking away.

Kouga’s skin crawled. “What are they, ghosts?” 

“Just animated shadows, nothing more…” Sesshoumaru watched his face, “do they distress you? I can dismiss them.”

”No, I’m fine, they’re just shadows.” His blush deepened looking fearful was not a good thing.

Sesshoumaru nodded in approval as the first course was laid before them. They ate mostly in silence, but it was not an uncomfortable silence at all. By the time they cleared the final course and brought out tea and sweets the dog demon was seriously considering tossing the wolf over his shoulder and carrying him off to his bedchambers. Instead he rose and moved to the cushions before the fire and sat down arranging his violet robes around him. 

Kouga stood and walked over dropping down beside him. “You look awful good tonight. I’ve never seen you in anything but white before.”

”Hmm.” Sesshoumaru looked over at the wolf youkai and picked a frosted grape up neatly with his ebony chopsticks. “You may continue to wear your hair down in my presence.”

”You like it down, huh? I thought you might.”

”Why?”

”Most people with hair as long as yours worn down like you do have a thing for hair.”

”A thing?”

”Hai, a thing.”

Sesshoumaru looked at him curiously then raised the grape to his lips only to be stopped by a hand clamped familiarly over his. His eyes widened as Kouga guided the chopsticks to his own mouth. He watched mesmerized as he bit the fruit in half. Then that oh so warm hand guided the remainder back to his lips. He took the morsel sucking on the juicy bite for a moment then crushing it between his molars. 

He dipped the chopsticks into a small bowl and selected a sweetened bit of cake offering it to Kouga first. The wolf demon leaned in very close to him and took his half delicately again steering the remainder back to him. His scent wrapped around Sesshoumaru in the warm air. Sesshoumaru picked up a sweetened berry and raised it leaning back so that his right side was pressed ever so slightly against Kouga’s left arm. He took the first bite this time. 

Kouga felt a slow heat rising in his body as the warm weight touched him ever so slightly. He leaned again scooting just a bit as he took the berry. His arm slipped behind the taiyoukai brushing the fine silk of his yukatta not touching his back. His hair spilled down over Sesshoumaru’s shoulder as he held his head just centimeters from his shoulder, he was all but holding his breath now, the taiyoukai could breach custom but he was not allowed to touch the demon lord first. Sesshoumaru picked a very special treat, a square of something dark and thick rather like mud. The smell was strange, totally foreign to Kouga’s nose. Sesshoumaru raised it close to him. 

”What is it.”

”Chocolate.” 

“It smells strange.” He leaned forward to taste it only to have it pulled away. 

He frowned and looked at Sesshoumaru. Something sparkled deep in his golden eyes as he teased. He touched the square of fudge to his lips and licked it then popped it in his mouth. His eyes half closed in pleasure at the rich taste. Kouga drew in a long breath.

Sesshoumaru spoke softly in his deep, velvety voice, “taste...”

Kouga did not need an engraved invitation. He pressed his lips to Sesshoumaru’s and felt his mouth open. His tongue dipped in tasting Sesshoumaru and the bittersweet flavor of the candy. It tingled through his senses like nothing he had ever tasted before. His eyes shot wide open and he gasped into Sesshoumaru’s mouth. Sesshoumaru leaned back licking his lips before taking a sip of his tea.

”What is that? A drug?”

“No, just a foreign desert that I found I have a taste for. It can be put in sweetened warm milk and melted as well. It is warming and soothing in the winter.” He snagged another bite and lifted it to Kouga. 

He took an eager bite and savored it. “It’s good, better in your mouth though.” 

Sesshoumaru snorted lightly and put his chopsticks down. He leaned back against Kouga’s shoulder and turned his head to face the younger man. He did not miss the tremor that ran through the other man at his touch. “What are your intentions Kouga, what do you want from me?”

”My intentions?” Kouga was very much aware of the way Sesshoumaru’s breath ghosted over his cheek. “I want to make you my mate.” He cursed himself inwardly, he had practiced hard to keep his wording correct. “I meant to say, I would like you to consider choosing me as your mate.”

”Are you really so quick to give up your dominance, I would not have thought that of you.”

“I’ll do what it takes.”

“If I wanted some clingy, needy, submissive lover I would take a female.” Sesshoumaru’s eyes grew hard for a moment and his voice cold causing Kouga’s hopes to sink. Sesshoumaru watched him lower his eyes in disappointment. He spoke again in a gentle, amused voice. ”I will accept your attentions on one condition.”

”Condition?” his blue eyes narrowed warily.

”Aa, one condition, that you remain as you are. It was your arrogance and self confidence that first stayed my hand from killing you. It is your courage and spirit that makes me want to make you scream my name.”

His head came up and his cheeks flushed crimson. 

Sesshoumaru raised a finely arched brow, "well?"

"I was hoping you didn't expect me to show belly. Not that way anyway."

Sesshoumaru sat up and pushed the food tray away. "We'll see where this leads, Kouga."

"That's more than I hoped, Sesshoumaru."

When Kouga made it back to his den it was nearly morning. He found Hakkaku asleep on watch outside the cave and Ginta sound asleep inside. He shook them both awake and sent them to their beds before seeking his own. The four legged pack brothers would alert them of any enemies. He curled up in the pile of furs and settled down. His belly was pleasantly full and he could smell Sesshoumaru's clean scent of soap and bath oils and a spicy smell that was purely his own on his skin and in his hair.

 

Kouga relaxed against the bole of a maple tree and carefully worked a cockleburr from the little girl's hair. She sat still even when it pulled with a patience he had never seen in a child before. Sesshoumaru had left with instructions that she obey him as she would have her master. She had taken him literally and Kouga now knew the depths of her love for the taiyoukai. Maybe he was beginning to understand it more than he meant too. Why else had his heart nearly soared out of his chest when the object of his courtship had trusted him to babysit his only child. 

"There, it's out Rin. Next time make one of the boys carry you through those weeds with the big, dark looking leaves and the stalks in the middle. The four legged brothers get all matted up with them and they don't have fingers to get them out like we do."

"What do they do?" Rin asked settling back in his lap and leaning against his breastplate.

She could sit for hours listening to him or his brothers tell stories about the wolves and the things they had done and places they had seen. He continued running his claws through her hair, grooming her as he would any wolfling pup, as he told her about the natural and not so natural wolves of his pack. 

"She's asleep."

He started at the low voice so close to his position. He had not heard the taiyoukai approach because he had been talking. That was not good. If Sesshoumaru thought anything of it though, it did not touch his reserved countenance as he sat down beside the wolf demon and looked down over the caves that were his pack's ancestral home. 

"What's wrong?" He asked keeping his voice low to prevent waking the child.

"Wrong?"

"You look troubled."

"I do?" his brows rose. 

"Not to many, but to me you do."

His expression softened almost imperceptibly. "I suppose I am concerned." 

"Over what? Maybe I can help." 

Sesshoumaru lowered head looking at his sleeping child as he thought. He felt a hand slide through his hair tucking it back behind his ear so Kouga could see his face. At that moment it would have felt so good and so right to just melt into the other man's arms and let the world disappear for a little while. To let their courtship dance move on to the next step. His scent and his skin and his hesitant caresses could erase what he had learned at the council meeting for a little while and set him free. He could not, would not shirk his duty, ever. 

He looked into Kouga's eyes, "it's the cat youkai to the east, someone or something is killing them with a mysterious plague. They have asked for help, and we cannot ignore that request because now the plague has jumped borders and jumped species. We've lost the whole tribe of foxes that lived around Mount Seija. It has crossed into the other territories as well."

Kouga had paled and his voice was soft, "there are at least three large clans of wolves in that area. You contained it," the words were not a question. "There are only three ways into that area or out of it." 

"I blocked the overland paths with landslides and had the bridge over the gorge torn out, then I had archers burn it all and shoot anything that tried to escape, even the birds."

He looked away, lips settling into his normal frown. He did not expect anyone to understand, he had to do his duty even when it meant sacrificing his own people. A warm hand covered his own, long brown fingers twined with his pale ones. He raised his eyes to rich blue pools that shone with understanding and compassion.

"You did what you had to do, now how do we find the bastards who turned something like that loose?" 

Sesshoumaru's heart seemed to swell within him, with pride and something else. He twisted around and seized Kouga's lips with a ferocity he had not shown before.

Kouga could taste his need and gave him what he could without reservation, acceptance, understanding, approval, someone to share the burden and the responsibility and the grief. He tried to pour all of that into the kiss even as sharp fangs clashes against his own and his lips were bruised by the voracious mouth on his. 

A soft giggle under his chin made him freeze and Sesshoumaru responded instantly to his action freezing as well. He pulled back licking his lips and gazing down at the girl he had forgotten. 

"You're supposed to be asleep," he said breathlessly. 

"Sesshoumaru-sama and Kouga-sama were kissing." She giggled again.

"Rin, go back down to the cave. I will be there shortly, I will stay here with Kouga tonight."

"Yay!" Rin stood up stretching a little before scrambling back down the hillside to the caves with all the surefootedness of miniature mountain goat.

"She likes it here," Kouga stated proudly.

"You do well with her."

He grinned, "I'd make a good parent for her." 

"Oh?" Sesshoumaru gave him a look. 

"Yes, a good parent for her and a good mate for you." 

"Maybe you would."

"Maybe? No maybe about it." 

Sesshoumaru did not reply in words. He brought their mouths together once more, this time more gently. Kouga welcomed the touch opening his mouth to the older man's probing tongue and taking the opportunity to run his hands through the heavy mass of pale hair. 

Lightning streaked the sky to the south and a low roll of thunder reached their ears as the wind changed bringing in the storm.

"Let's go back to the cave, we can continue in my den if you wish."

Sesshoumaru nodded his acceptance and wondered how far Kouga had thought on what he said. He had chosen to spend the night in Kouga's lair. In accepting another males offer of shelter, even if he had invited himself, he was relinquishing his dominance for that period of time. Tonight he was not Lord of the Western Lands, tonight he was just Sesshoumaru and Sesshoumaru wanted to be held until the world outside and all of his burdens faded away. 

The first fat drops were striking the ground raising small poofs of dust as they entered the cave. A fire blazed cheerfully in the pit and two large elks were roasting above it. A flat rock held the big kettle of boiling water for tea. Ginta was pouring water into a teapot over the strong green tea leaves. Rin leaned against him watching every move. Hakkaku sat crosslegged working on removing the burrs from one of the wolf's shaggy tail. The other four legged wolves were scattered around napping and paying not attention to the visitors. 

Kouga guided Sesshoumaru to his sleeping chamber. It was no different than the other small rooms off the main cave, a rounded hollow lined with furs. He took his sword off and leaned it against the wall, then his breastplate. He was not terribly surprised when Sesshoumaru released his hair from headband and leather thong sending it spilling down his back. He turned touching the spiked pauldrons his companion wore. Sesshoumaru unfastened them adding them to the pile. His own swords and breastplate followed. Kouga watched him intently then stepped up slipping his arms around the slender waist. He had realized what Sesshoumaru was asking of him and he was more than willing to give it. He pulled the dog demon into a comforting embrace in the darkness and felt the weight of a head resting on his shoulder. 

They remained like that for a long time, then Sesshoumaru raised his head and gazed down at his companion. The moment of weakness and regret was past, pushed deep into the cold recesses of his heart behind walls stronger than steel. He had killed others for catching him in such a rare moment. He brought a hand up and wrapped it around Kouga's long, graceful neck caressing the silken skin. His sharp talons following the line of his jugular. 

Kouga sensed the turn of his emotions and felt his instinct warning him that this was a dangerous moment, urging him to do something. He felt the cool claws press a bit deeper, not drawing blood but not far from it. He looked up trying to catch the taiyoukai's attention, to reach past the glazed look to the man within. 

He swallowed the lump in his throat and spoke softly, keeping his words honest and simple. "I love you."

Sesshoumaru started. "What?"

"I love you."

Sesshoumaru's hand tightened on his throat for a moment then relaxed moving up to cup his chin. "That is dangerous."

"I'm not afraid."

"Foolish wolf."

"Stubborn dog."

Sesshoumaru found his lips in the darkness and kissed him deeply and thoroughly.

Chapter 4 Victory 

Kouga pressed close against him and fumbled until he found the ties of the white silk outer robe. It slid away with barely a whisper. He knelt and lifted one foot at a time slipping off the tall, heavy boots and undoing the ties at his ankles. He slid his hands up the long strong legs following them back to narrow hips. The sash was unknotted and joined his other clothes on the floor and his voluminous pants followed leaving him clad only in his short, cream coloured undergarment. 

Sesshoumaru allowed Kouga to strip away his outer garments completely and guide him down to a thick bed of pelts. Lips claimed his as soon as he lay still and he let them without protest. His eyes closed to lazy slits as he tasted his would be suitor more deeply than he had dared before. 

In absolute defiance of custom, the wolf stroked his arms and legs wherever they were bare leaving small trails of heat wherever they roamed. Black hair spilled over him now that they were free of his ponytail. The thick locks brushed his skin teasingly. 

"Where did you learn to do this?" he murmured thickly.

"I'm just naturally talented," Kouga teased. "You should feel it without clothes between us." 

He sucked in his breath and held it as the last of the cloth separating them was ripped away. His hands froze in place as they touched the forbidden flesh of his thigh. He licked his lips and shook his head to clear it enough to return to his caresses. A slow fire grew in his belly spreading outward as the feeling of flawless skin under his hands and his inviting scent of ginger and pine needles and a subtle musk that whispered of violence and danger. He found himself leaning forward and inhaling deeply as his caresses became less curious and more intimate. 

"Kouga, you should stop." Sesshoumaru's voice was husky.

"I don't want to."

With a supreme effort, he forced himself to his feet. the remnants of his robe, forgotten fluttered to the floor like defeated banners. He was about to walk away when powerful arms encircled his bare stomach and a hot, wet mouth attached to his neck just below his ear. He growled deep in his chest but belied the angry sound by tilting his head exposing more of his neck to the wolf demon. He did not resist as Kouga tugged him back deeper into the shadows. Calloused hands slid over his abdomen and through the soft curls there to glide lightly over his manhood. He leaned his head back onto Kouga's shoulder arching his back and bringing his hand up to cup the back of his head. 

"Your body knows what you want," Kouga growled as he ground himself against Sesshoumaru's rear making his own need all too evident. He continued to attack the neck drawing dark bruises on the white surface. 

Sesshoumaru fought himself all the while. The dog demon in him wanted to hurt his would be lover, to knock him down, rip his flesh, take him as cruelly as possible and assert his dominance once and for all as he claimed what belonged to him. The man in him would kill before he saw that spirit broken by anyone including himself. He knew it could not work, that it was only a game. He could not bend and he abhorred the thought of seeing his Kouga bent or worse broken. He had to stop it now before it was too late.

"Sesshoumaru, I need you..."

The whisper set his blood on fire and he realized that it was already too late. 

"Kouga, leave me, run away." His voice had dropped to a huskier note.

"I told you, I am not afraid. You feel this between us too, don't fight it." 

He realized the chest that was pressed to his back was now bare and where their skin touched small bolts of lightning seemed to spark and tingle. Lips curled back exposing his rapidly lengthening fangs. His claws too were growing longer and thicker with his arousal as was another important part of his body. He turned lithely and slammed Kouga back against the wall pinning his body with his own and ripping the fur kilt from his waist in order to grind their hardened shafts together. Nothing was allowed between them, nothing. 

He latched onto Kouga's neck drawing thin trails of blood with his sharp teeth and lapping them up with a rough tongue. Kouga's claws sank into his shoulders, not pushing him away but drawing him closer. 

"Give in Sesshoumaru, I want you, all of you, I can take it." Kouga growled against his ear giving it a sharp nip. He knew what a risk he was taking. His father had warned him and he was smarter than most gave him credit for anyway. He knew fire when he was holding it in one hand and fanning it with the other. Sesshoumaru needed this, needed to prove his own strength. It was part of the youkai blood that flowed through them both. He had no doubt that the day would come when he would need the same. Time would tell if the great lord would give him what he now offered, but he would cross that ravine when he came to it.

"Show me who's my man. Prove it to me!" 

Sesshoumaru obeyed dragging him to the ground and divesting him of his remaining attire as he did. He moved over every tanned, muscled, inch of the wolf demon licking, tasting, and smelling, memorizing his scent as lust chased away the last of his sanity. 

Kouga writhed and thrashed at his touch. His own demon was close to the surface causing his blue eyes to glow uncannily in the dim light. His strong jaws drove gleaming fangs into Sesshoumaru's shoulder as he was pushed back into the thick rugs covering the floor. His new mate growled possessively seizing his mouth once more as he thrust into the young wolf rudely forcing open his virgin entrance and swallowing his howl of pain. Kouga fought against the organ ripping him in half. Claws, already sticky with blood dug into Sesshoumaru's hips trying to push him away. He had expected pain, but this was unbearable. 

"Shh, easy, relax and the pain will fade. Shhhh," Sesshoumaru whispered soothingly into his ear. Tears were streaking the boyish cheeks, he licked them away moving as little as possible. 

"Aa?" Kouga's voice was doubtful whisper.

"Yes, just relax your muscles and let me in. Don't fight it. Ah, there, like that." 

Kouga did his best trying not to show his pain and forcing his abused muscles to relax as Sesshoumaru moved slowly. He concentrated on the strange sensation of something moving in his bowels, the overwhelming smell of sex and blood, and aura of pure, raw power that emanated from the dog demon. After a time he was surprised to realize that the organ that was invading his body was bringing pleasure as well as pain and that the pleasure was beginning to outweigh the hurt. He started to say so, but all that came out was a deep moan. 

Sesshoumaru smirked at the sound and picked up his pace gradually revelling in Kouga's moans and soft mewling until he was slamming into the tight canal with punishing force. The wet sucking sounds and slap of skin on skin drove him wild. His own cries were animalistic growls robbed of any trace of language. He threw his head back and howled as he came inside the wolf demon collapsing in a sweaty heap on top of him. 

Kouga struggled to keep his awareness, it was not easy with the heavy body on top of him, but he knew he would be fine. He had survived the after battle lust of his mate and he knew he would not be turned away now. Sesshoumaru would accept him as his consort. He was bleeding sluggishly from his rear as well as dozens of bite marks and his blood mingled and mixed with Sesshoumaru's allowing his powerful aura to sink inside of his weary flesh causing it to tingle and speeding the healing process. He had ejaculated between their bodies and was unpleasantly sticky. He waited until Sesshoumaru's breathing was steady and climbed out from under him as carefully as possible. 

He returned limping, but clean and carrying a bucket of hot water and clean rags. He knelt and carefully washed Sesshoumaru erasing the signs of their passion. A soft voice thanked him when he finished and pushed the bucket aside. He answered with a gentle kiss to swollen lips. His kiss was returned without reservation. 

"Does that mean you've come to your senses and realized you can't live without me?" 

Sesshoumaru sniffed, "ask me again in the morning."

"I will, in the meantime, scoot over and give me a little of that bedding." He snuggled in beside Sesshoumaru breathing in his scent and relaxing by his side. 

"I did not mean for it to be like that."

"Huh? what do you mean?"

"I meant our first time together to be less rough."

"I'm fine, big dog. Don't worry about me." 

"You are my mate now, I will not bring shame upon you."

"Then I'll be a good mate to you and mother to your pup."

"I expected no less." 

Kouga found Sesshoumaru's mouth in the darkness and kissed him shyly before settling into the pile of furs to sleep beside his prize.


End file.
